


Definitely Not a Love Story (Posie - Legacies)

by posiewosie



Category: Legacies (TV 2018), The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Bisexual, F/F, Fanfiction, Gay, Lesbian, Pansexual, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-23 08:54:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17077223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/posiewosie/pseuds/posiewosie
Summary: This is a story of action, of adventure. This story is sexy, and sweet, and funny. This is a scary story. This is a tragic story. This is a charming story.However, this is absolutely, totally, completely, Definitely Not a Love Story.(AU where nobody has powers or is supernatural. Hella smut.)





	1. Chapter 1

“Pea,” whispered the taller man, and  
I turned from where I stood, looking around the room for someone, or no one, I didn't know. I was just… looking.  
“What?” I snapped, and he flinched, his eyes wide before he pointed behind him subtly, at a set of long, tan legs that were barely covered by a strip of soft, red fabric. My eyes drew up to her curvy hips, then up to her breasts, and when I didn't think it could get any better, I was graced by a pair of red lips, quirked up into a smile as the woman who owned them lifted a hand, wiggling her fingers in a sultry wave.   
Her light brown hair was curled around the frame of her face, and she wore a rhinestone covered mask.   
“Oh my God.” I exhaled.   
“She's the birthday girl. That's why she's wearing red at a black and white ball.” He divulged, and I nodded, intrigued.   
“What better way is there to protect the birthday girl than to be the only one with her?” I smirked.  
“Oh no!” MG scolded, adjusting his half mask to look at me seriously. “Absolutely not!”   
“Relax, MG.” I grinned, rubbing his shoulder softly when my eye met another patch of red. “There's the other birthday girl. Keep and eye on her, and I'll keep… several things on her.” I chuckled, walking past the white suited man, up to the birthday girl.  
“Josette, is it?” I smirked, taking her hand and kissing the back of it, curtsying as I looked deep into her eyes.   
“Josie, please.” She chuckled, and I rose a brow high enough to be seen beyond the cover of my own black, laced mask.   
“Penelope Park at your service.” I ensured, and the left side of her lip quirked up suggestively.   
“And to what extent does that go?” She inquired.   
“What?”   
“Your…” She looked around to ensure nobody was listening, “service.”   
Oh?   
“As far an extent you'd allow.” I promised.   
“Meet me by the stairs in five then.” She winked.   
I nodded, walking around a group of people to make my way through the ballroom doors, to the foyer of the house, where the large, white case stairs were. I waited casually until one of the two doors opened, a beautiful woman slipping through. She looked to each side and rushed my way, grabbing my face and attaching her lips to mine.   
I gripped her hips and tugged her close, my tongue fighting between her red lips to duel with hers, a feat that made my skin crawl in the best way.   
“God, how long do we have to keep doing this?” Josie moaned against my lips, before moving hers down to kiss my neck. I gasped and slid my hands down to squeeze her backside roughly.   
“Just a few more days, Jojo.” I promised, and she pulled away to look into my eyes for a moment, taking my hand and dragging me up the stairs. We rushed up, fearful of catching anybody's attention. We made it to her bedroom, and she closed the large, double arched door behind us, walking in front of me, pushing me against her big bed, pushing me back so she could straddle me.   
She leaned down and moved her hair out of her face before delving into the skin of my jaw. She sucked on the skin while I reached behind her to drag the zipper of her dress down slowly, until the fabric fell from her shoulders. She pushed the sleeves down her arms, revealing a glorious set of breasts that made my mouth water, and my thighs tremble. I took her shoulders in my hands and latched my lips to her nipples, causing a moan to escape her smeared lips.   
“O-oh!” She moaned, her fingers toying with my short locks, before I turned our positions, hovering over her body so I could drag her dress down her legs and slither between them, my eyes stuck on her.   
God, look at her.   
Eyes hooded, pupils blown, lips swollen from my kisses, nipples hard from my touch.   
I dragged her panties down her thighs and trailed my fingertips around the swell, where they met her hips. Her stomach quivered beneath my touch, causing my lips to quirk up once more.   
I planted a kiss in the middle of her stomach, my lips moving against her soft, warm flesh, teeth grazing the damp place beneath my lips. Her back arched up, and her throat expelled a soft mewl. Chills pattered down my spine, begging me to move lower, almost as much as her eyes were, but I was enjoying this.   
Watching her eyes as they trailed over me intently, feeling her fingers as they tangled in the hairs on the back of my neck to keep from trembling under the pleasure of my teasing.   
I moved my lips down, just above her belly button, where I sank mr teeth, sucking in as my fingers moved up to toy with her nipple.   
“O-oh My God.” She whimpered as I licked a trail of saliva down her straining abdomen, stopping when I came across my destination. I took my mouth off of her stuttering body, to her dismay, and took a detour to her thighs. The soft, plush skin fell victim to my teeth and tongue, muscles quivering as I sucked on her beautifully creamy skin. I brought my right hand down, and dragged my fingertip through her velvet folds, watching intently as her eyes rolled to the back of her head at the slightest relief I could provide her with.   
Finally, I replaced my finger with my tongue, taking in her juices, revelling in her taste as she bucked her hips against my face immediately. Jer fingers tangled themselves in my hair immediately, forcing me closer against her center.   
I hummed against her sensitive sex, making her whimper.   
I could never get sick of this. The sound of her voice, the way she tasted on my tongue, the way she looked, back arching, eyes rolling, throat tightening. The way her skin always smelled like warm vanilla, despite the sweat and sex coating it.   
The way her skin against mine always made me feel like home.   
“Pen, please.” She gasped as I nudged her clit with my tongue once.   
I smiled against her, feeling my heart melt at the sound of my nickname on her lips.   
A nickname only she could get away with calling me.   
I granted her wish, circling her entrance with my finger as I tongue did so with her straining bundle of nerves.   
Her thighs wracked against my cheeks as she let out a sharp cry of pleasure. I moved my tongue up, then down, then up again in time with the rolling of her hips against my body.   
I sank my fingertip inside of her, my head spinning at the feeling of her walls tight around my single digit. I nudged it in past the nuckle, and she spread her legs further for me to go deeper while I worked her clit between my tongue and my top row of teeth.   
The stinging of her fingers tugging my hair went straight between my thighs, and another wave of chills shot up my spine, making me shake against her body.   
“Please, God, Penelope.” She grumbled through her whimpers, and I sped up my tongue, my finger going deeper within the woman around me in rhythm with my tongue.   
It wasn't long before her thighs were tremmering with every stroke of my tongue, and her fingers were tearing at me desperately, hips rolling, back arching, breasts heaving against her chest as she gasped and whimpered my name from her beautifully swollen lips.   
“Penny, I'm so close,” she cried, eyes clenching shut as I gripped her hips to pull her against me more roughly. I felt her hips tense against me, and I could sense her stomach tightening as her walls clenched around my finger. I curled it up, and sucking on her clit, just in time for her to expel a long, heavy gasp, her body stuttering as she fell into her orgasm.   
My tongue didn't stoo until her body was flat against the mattress, legs spasming from the aftershocks of her high. I slowly pulled my finger out of her, and before I could bring it between my lips, she took my hand, and hunched forward to draw it between her own. She sucked on it sharply, eyes hooded on mine intently. She pulled me up by the hair and licked my tongue in the sultry way that nearly destroyed me. She moaned against me, tasting her own arousal. She drew her hand up the split in the side of my short black dress, teasing me over my panties.   
“You're already soaked.” She gasped shakily, and I chuckled, dropping my head against her forehead with a content smile.  
“You have that effect on me.” I ensured, and she tilted her chin up to capture my lips again.   
“I-I'm in love with you.” She divulged, making my entire body short circuit.  
God, finally.   
“I'm in love with you too.” I promised in the softest whisper I've ever uttered in my entire life.   
“That easy?” She giggled, caressing my jaw with her unoccupied hand.   
“It's always been that easy.” I smiled, and I felt her fingers move the fabric of my underwear to the side.   
Before anything could go further, I heard a knock on the door.   
“Josie?”   
“Shh…” I whispered, rushing to my feet and grabbing a pair of pants for my beloved from where they were draped over the back of her chair, then rolling over my back to retrieve a shirt from her dresser. I tossed that to her, and she hurried to get dress as I peaked between the doors, noting the gun in the hand of Josie's uncle, Klaus.   
I gestured to Josie, telling her to walk into the corner of the room against the wall where the door was.   
“She's not here, Mister Mikaelson.” I ensured as I opened both doors, revealing the angered looking man, his gun now in his hand behind his back, obviously.   
“Well, do you know where she is?” He asked in discontent, and I shrugged.   
“I don't think I'd tell you anyway.” I assured, and I watched him look around him frantically.   
“I don't have time for this.” He complained, raising the gun to me, only for me to drop my heel to the back of his knee, causing him to kneel involuntarily with a groan. I snatched the gun from his limpening hand and forced my knee against his face, knocking him to the ground, unconscious.   
“Penny, wh-”   
“No time, we have to go.” I demanded, taking her hand and dragging her down the stairs by the hand. There was a coat closet by the front door, and I opened it to pull her inside. “Stay here, don't make a sound, don't move. I'll be back in two minutes.” I promised, kissing her deeply before closing the door between us and running to the ballroom, where everything was going on as though we never left.   
I rushed past laughing and dancing people before my eyes met MG, who was dancing with the blonde Saltzman sister.   
“MG, we gotta go.” I whispered, and he rose a brow.   
“He's here?”   
“He tried to uh…” I cleared my throat, and his eyes widened.  
“Lizzie, will you please come with me?” He muttered to the blonde woman, who rose a brow.   
“Sorry, I didn't plan on-”   
“Your life is in danger.” I rushed, and her eyes widened. “We were hired to keep you safe, and now, I'm keeping you safe, so you need to come with us if you want any chance of seeing your twenty third birthday.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Peas, I’m worried,” Groaned MG in a whispered tone from outside our parking garage. “They’ve barely eaten anything, and they’re only talking to each other.” He sighed, rolling the sleeves of his sweater up his forearms. 

“Yeah, but think of it from their perspective;” I suggested, “Everything was completely fine, and then suddenly they’ve been pulled away from their rich, cozy house by two complete strangers.” I reminded, and he rose a brow. 

“Not you though.” He reminded, “They think you’re Hope’s cousin.” 

“And they hate Hope, what do you expect?” I shook my head at him in obviety, and he sighed. 

“You have a point.” He garbled, and I sighed before taking the bag of food from him to bring inside the room. 

“I’ll see what I can do.” I assured, opening the door to the little shop office to address the two women sitting on one of the two cots, the one in the furthest corner from the door. “I thought you’d be hungry.” I sighed, walking into the room and setting the bag on the foot of the cot they were on. Josie was closest to me, Lizzie against the wall, and when I sat on the opposing cot near them, she moved further from me, into her twin sister. 

“How can we trust you?” Lizzie spat, her voice scared and stern at the same time. “How do we know you didn’t poison the food?” She asked, making me scoff, shaking my head with a soft smile. 

“You’ve been here two days, and we haven’t done anything to hurt you, Lizzie. The only poison in those burgers is the preservatives.” I promised. 

“Why are we here?” Josie asked, her voice shaking in both fear and anger. 

“Do you want the real answer?” I inquired, “It’s dark, and there’s a big possibility that you won’t believe me.” 

“Just tell me, Penelope!” Josie spat, and I felt my heart clench in my chest. 

“Your father’s advisor, Klaus Mikaelson was plotting to kill you at your party.” I admitted suddenly, and Lizzie’s eyes widened, her body straightening in her place. 

“Th-that’s why he was trying to get me out of the main hall.” She whispered, her voice ghostly. 

“Yes, I’m afraid so. My friend, Milton was hired by your father to keep you safe.” I divulged, and she rose a brow. 

“So he was only dancing with me because he was trying to protect me?”

Not exactly. He could’ve kept her safe without dancing with her, but that doesn’t mean he was out of line or anything. 

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” I nodded, and something flashed in Josie’s eyes. 

“Does that mean that what happened with us was-” 

“No.” I interrupted, turning to her fully and looking her in the eyes deeply. “I know what you’re gonna say, and no. Absolutely not.” I promised. “I will recount everything, every emotion I was feeling, everything to tell you with absolute certainty that nothing that went on between us wasn’t real.” I promised. 

“W-what happened between you?” Lizzie whimpered, and Josie’s eyes widened. 

“We’ve just been becoming really good friends.” I lied quickly, making Josie’s eyes calm. “She’s enjoyed having a friend to have an unbiased opinion on everything going on in the royal family.” I finished. 

“I wish I had that.” Lizzie muttered, looking down at her fingers. “I don’t even have a home anymore. Or anyone I can trust.” 

“That isn’t true.” I promised, “MG, your dad, Hope and I, we’re all here, and you can trust us with your life. Both of you.” I promised, making both Josie and Lizzie’s head snap up to me in confusion. 

“Hope?” They both asked simultaneously, making me move back for a second, slightly unsettled at the strange synchronicity.

“Her father is the one who put us in this mess!” Lizzie complained. 

“Who do you think told us about his plan?” I retorted. 

“What? I-I don’t understand.” Josie sputtered, “Hope hates us.” 

“You hate Hope.” I corrected, “Why even is that?” There was a hesitant silence that took over the room, and Josie made eye contact with her sister, who sputtered for a minute. 

“She’s just always rubbed me the wrong way, is all.” She muttered, looking down with discomfort. 

I’ll find out sooner or later. 

“Well, we have to keep you here until Klaus is caught. Hope is on her way from the airport now. She was with your father, getting him settled in with some friends of ours who would be able to take care of him in Italy.” I assured, standing up and moving to walk out. “The door is gonna stay unlocked, just like it has been since you got here.” I assured, “We’re not gonna force you to come out, but we have to keep you under our watch, so the only way you’ll be able to leave this neighborhood is with us, as per Alaric Saltzman’s orders.” I walked out, leaving the door unlocked, and listening against it for the sound of the bag of burgers being opened. 

“Success.” I whispered to MG with a wink, and he cheered to himself. 

… 

“God, I’ve missed you, Big Head.” Sighed Hope against my cheek as she hugged me close. 

“You can’t just be nice without tacking on an insult?” I laughed as we pulled away, and she shook her head. 

“Nope, I don’t think I can.” We shared a laugh for a brief moment before she looked around. “Thanks for helping the twins, P.” She exhaled as she walked through the large, open door to the garage, her bag on her shoulder, ready to be dropped onto the tatty couch in the far corner behind one of the cars. 

“No problem, Ham.” I assured, “But there’s something you should know before you go in to speak with them.” I warned, sitting on the ugly yellow sofa beside my friend, whose attention was completely mine. “I may or may not have fallen in love with one of them.” I said through gritted teeth, my hand coming up to scratch the back of my head nervously. Her eyes snapped to me widely, and I felt my cheeks burn, my brain preparing itself for a scolding. 

“Please tell me it was Josie.” She begged, and my brows scrunched together in confusion. 

“I mean… yeah, but why does it matter?” I inquired, and Hope’s eyes wandered around the big, motionless garage we lived in, her eyes suddenly intrigued by a room full of junk that has been here since my uncle moved in twenty five years ago. 

“I’ve been in love with Lizzie since we were kids.” She admitted finally, catching me off guard. 

“Oh.” I laughed, and she did the same, in the same bitter manner. 

“I know.” 

“You should let MG know that.” I piped, “I’m pretty sure he has a little crush on her.” 

“He can have her if she wants him.” She shrugged sadly, “Even today, when sexuality and labels don’t matter, some people just happen to be a hundred percent straight.” 

“Yeah,” I laughed, “like one in fifty people is actually fully straight nowadays.” I reminded, “MG and Raf should be enough.” I assured. 

“Yeah, but nothing goes my way that easily, P.” 

“Hope!” Called MG as he rounded a big truck about fifty feet away, running up with his arms open to hug the man for the first time since she left three months ago. “I missed you.” He chuckled. 

“How are the twins?” I asked, and he smiled. 

“A-okay. Chester slipped past me while I was checking on them, and it’s a good thing they’re both cat people, or else it would’ve been awkward for Chester.” He laughed, and I rose a brow. 

“I think you should get some sleep, Milton. You’re starting to sound like a white, middle-aged dad.” I jested, watching his eyes as the lids drooped slowly. 

“You’re right, Peas. I’ll see you guys in the morning, good night.” He garbled, rubbing his stomach under his shirt before walking around the corner to his own cot. 

“Can I see them?” She inquired, and I hummed before walking around a big pickup we were working on to sell, across the garage to the room. 

“Evening, ladies.” I smiled softly as I opened the door enough for Hope to walk inside. Lizzie’s eyes widened from where she was sitting in the corner on her own cot before standing to her feet, slowly making her way to the shorter woman. 

She was emotionless, eyes glued to Hope’s gaze, which was stuck, unbudging from the woman she so obviously cared for. Lizzie reached her hands out to hold Hope’s shoulders before pulling her close, wrapping her arms around her completely in the warmest, most desperate hug I’ve ever seen in my entire life. 

I watched Hope’s body tense up, then relax against Lizzie’s embrace, her lungs not daring to expend any air, fearful that so much as breathing would ruin their contact. 

“Did you really hire her to save our lives?” Lizzie muttered, and Hope sighed before stepping back, taking a seat at Lizzie’s cot, allowing her to sit beside her, and I, at the foot of a wary Josie’s bed before beginning her explanation. 

“Penelope, her cousin, Jed, and MG are my friends.” She began. “Remember that year my dad told everyone I went to a camp in Prague?” She asked, awaiting a bewildered nod before continued. “He and I got into an argument, and he dropped me on the side of the freeway on the way to your house. The closest town was here. Mystic falls. Penelope saved me from getting jumped.” She chuckled, making eye contact with me for comfort before looking back at the ground. “I asked them to help because I knew they were more than qualified to do it.” She finished. 

“And what exactly gave her the ability to qualify?” Josie piped out of nowhere, her voice slightly on edge as she asked. 

“Mystic Falls sounds pretty, and majestic, but it’s dark, and riddled with drugs, gangs, sex trafficking, even illegal drag races. When you grow up in a city like this, you learn quickly how to do things most people couldn’t dream of.” I admitted, making Lizzie raise a brow at me. 

“You mean you’re scrappy?” Lizzy scoffed, to which I shrugged in response. 

“Something like that.” I nodded. 

“I-I don’t understand,” Lizzie sputtered, “where’s my dad? And why would Klaus try to kill us?” Hope exhaled, running her fingers through her hair, despite her attempts not to look restless.

“That’s a story for another night.”


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> be sure to comment and share for a faster update

“Hey, ugly!” I shouted as I rounded the truck in the garage which from under sprouted a pair of denim clad legs. I slammed the hood down, and MG exclaimed, rolling out from under the car with a heavy fright. 

“What the hell, Peas?!” MG complained, rushing to his feet to confront me. 

“Oh, hush.” I rolled my eyes, despite the amused smirk on my face. “Anyway, Hope took Lizzie out, and I have some stuff to sort out with the twins today. I need you to go get Jed.” I requested, and he rolled his eyes. 

“Can I at least take the truck?” He asked with a slight raise of tone, and I chuckled. 

“Sorry, if you can’t respect Nico enough to call her by her name, then you don’t deserve to take her three states over.” I demanded, and he rolled his eyes. 

“I can respect a car without having to treat it like it’s my girlfriend, Peas.” He informed, and I scoffed. 

“That’s exactly why I’m the head of mechanics here, MG.” I reminded, making the mad roll his eyes. “Don’t be surprised if we have to pick up and leave before you get back.” I requested as he walked to grab his things so he could leave. 

“Keep the burner on you.” he demanded, hugging me before hopping in the Nissan. I waved my friend off as he pulled out of the garage and disappeared down the street. I sighed as I lowered the doors manually before walking across the big, cold room to the little office I knew Josie was in. I knocked, and awaited her voice. 

“Come in.” I felt my blood rush at the sound of her voice as I opened the door, noting the woman’s eyes on me, hair cascading over her nearly bare shoulder, over which her gaze was pointing at me. 

“Good morning, Jojo.” I smiled softly at the beautiful woman I so longed to hold, to kiss again. 

“Morning.” She mumbled, looking down at her fingers, which were in front of her shins, her arms holding her legs. I sat on the cot beside her, facing her. 

“I wanted to talk to you, without lingering ears, and since everyone’s gone, I thought now is a good time.” I said shyly, and she didn’t meet my eyes. 

“You lied to me.” She muttered, and I sighed. 

“I know,” I muttered back, “I never wanted to hurt you.” I assured. “Hope called in a favor, and I had to help my best friend.” 

“You couldn’t have told me?” She inquired, and I shook my head. 

“I wasn’t even planning on getting closer to you beyond a passer-by.”

“Why didn’t you leave me alone then?” She asked harshly. 

“I don’t know.” I scoffed with a sad smile. “I actually met you, and then I just couldn’t. You were too perfect.”

(flashback)

I was walking down the halls of the mansion, searching for Hope, who insisted I meet her in the west wing, which I noted was dangerously close to the library, where one of the twins liked to spend a lot of time. At the time, I couldn’t be bothered with the memory of which twin it was that liked to read, because I was more busy keeping Hope’s psycho dad away from them. 

“There you are!” I shouted down the hall at Hope, who was rushing toward me. 

“Hey, P. We need to tail the girls, keep tabs on them, see who is and isn’t working with Klaus.” 

“What?” I scoffed, “I thought I was just supposed to stay handy for when Klaus may strike. Nobody said anything about babysitting.” I complained, and the shorter woman shrugged. 

“I’m sorry. If it helps, you can tail Josie. She’s much more level headed, and doesn’t make you want to rip your own eyes out of the sockets.” 

“Wow, the other one sounds like a delight.” I rolled my eyes, to which Hope did the same. 

“Be nice. You’ll like her, she’s really sweet.” She insisted, her head turning to the left, then the right, where the doors to the book room were located. “Josie’s in there. Go make friends with her.” She grinned, and I sighed, rolling my eyes. 

“You owe me one.” I warned. 

“Always.” She winked before kissing my cheek and running down the hall. 

I groaned before approaching the large, wooden doors with beautiful incryptions and designs splayed across the wood. 

A true work of art, this craftsmanship. 

I pushed the heavy object out of my way, allowing my eyes to be graced by the room, three times the size of my garage, both in height and in acres. There were three stories, the first one a maze of shelves and disorganized books, stacked unevenly and splayed everywhere, though still, somehow, well cared for. There were three tables, all of which were stacked with books, every inch of the surfaces. The chairs all had other works stacked and shoved in and on them. 

I looked around the still room, only to come across no movement, no sounds, until I found a ladder in the far corner on the right. The ladder topped off at the second story, which was seemingly a balcony, looking out over the first floor. I climbed up, and looked over the oak railing, noting how theatrical it looked, like I was inside the mind of a genius who never truly knew how to express the true masterpieces that were conducted within such a confine. 

I looked around the second floor, which was much more organized, the shelves only lining the walls from the floor to the ceiling, each title organized in alphabetical order. 

Some of my favorite titles stuck out as I skimmed my eyes along the spines of the scriptures so expertly handled. 

Lord of the Flies, Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Bless Me, Ultima. 

Whoever was organizing these, really had a great mind, and the librarian of the mansion deserved a raise. 

In the middle of the room was a large leather lounge chair, an open book lying upon a pillow it sat on. I flipped the cover over to see what the book was. 

The Giver. 

A classic. A book I’ve read three times, the first being when I was eleven. 

I concluded that since Josie wasn’t in the first to floors, she’d be on the top, so I used the ladder on the east wall to climb through the ceiling to the third story. 

This story was even larger than the first, with high rise ceilings and archways. It felt like it was right out of a movie from the 1800’s, winding staircases that went up to yet, another story, one that was out of sight from the first and second stories. The staircase in the far corner, near a large oak desk wound up tightly in a beautifully elegant way, one that nearly took my breath away, in combination with the gaze I stole from a face I’d never seen. 

“Oh, hi, can I help you?” Smiled the girl crookedly, her cheeks pink from the work she was doing as she tried to lift a large stack of books from under the desk she was hunched over behind. 

“I’m not sure,” I smiled, easily putting up a front that so well hid the flustered way I was feeling in that moment. “I was told the library was in the west wing, and I just found a big room filled with books and dust bunnies.” I chuckled, sauntering toward the desk slowly. 

“Oh, yeah,” giggled the brown eyed maiden, her lips quirked up in a kind, friendly smile. “I’m rearranging things so the library looks more like its original form.” She admitted, wrenching the books on the surface of the desk and sighing in relief of her muscles relaxing. 

“What exactly is its original form?” I inquired, and she chuckled as she sat down in a brown leather couch in the middle of the room, allowing me to follow, and to sit across the couch from her. 

“Well, this is the oldest room in the mansion,” she divulged with deep intrigue. “It was a library, built by Antoni Gaudi, a Spanish architect who specialized in castles and things of the sort in the nineteenth century.” She picked at the couch as she continued, “It shut down when the original owner died with nobody to take it on and make it a legacy, and when it was built into a mansion, King Saltzman kept the library for his wife to run and feed her love for learning, a books, and sacred things.” 

“That sounds like the ultimate wedding gift.” I said, slightly breathlessly, and the beautiful woman at my side chuckled with a nod. 

“Yeah, but when she died, there was nobody to keep it sacred, so it just got flooded and disorganized with books, forgotten, left to collect dust for ten years.” She exhaled dramatically as she looked around the room for a moment, making me chuckle. 

“It’s obvious you love to read, you’re so angsty.” I chuckled, and she scoffed before turning to me.

“I’m guessing you like to read too, or else you wouldn’t be here.” She tried, and I shrugged. 

“I’m more of a writer.” I said simply, and she clicked her tongue before looking around. 

“Who knows? Maybe your name will be among the thousands here.” She suggested dreamily, and it made me adore her in some strange, girl-I-just-met-but-for-some-reason-I-feel-like-we’ve-known-each-other-forever- kind of way. “What is your name, anyway? So I can keep an eye out for it.” She chuckled. 

“Penelope.” I answered with an amused smile, “Penelope Park.” 

“Ah, Hope’s friend from the royal council’s committee.” She concluded, to which I nodded. 

It’s a thing, according to Hope, and Hope’s father would never bat an eye, as he never paid attention to any of the people at the committee meetings. 

“That I am.” I smiled, “And your name?” 

She looked up at me, finally, a blush on her cheeks as she answered me. 

“Josette Saltzman.” She divulged, and I rose a brow. 

“Wow,” I chuckled, “I met your twin sister earlier, so I definitely expected you to be-” 

“Prettier?” She interrupted, eyes sad, and my nose scrunched up in disgust. 

“Snobbier.” I corrected, and she giggled. 

“You think she’s snobby?” She asked, her eyes growing bright again as I nodded. 

“Yeah, I think you’re much more my speed.” I winked, and her cheeks blushed more furiously. 

“What tells you that?” She chuckled, making me shrug. 

“Your smile, your passion, everything.” I broadened before inhaling, exhaling, and elaborating with the shake of my partly cloudy head. “I just think that someone who has an interest in escaping their own reality is so much more interesting than someone who’s so caught up in their own that their reality is the only kind of reality, and the only one that matters.” I divulged finally, and her elbow was resting on the back of the couch, braced against her fist, which held her cheek up as she smiled at me dreamily.

“I-I…” she was speechless through her stutter before she exhaled. “Uh, do you have anything to do today?” She asked nervously, “I’ve been rearranging this library by myself for months, maybe another set of hands will help.” She chuckled, making me smile softly. 

“I-I’m definitely free.” 

… 

“Tell me something,” Josie requested of me from beside the vehicle I was working under. 

“Anything.” I promised. 

“Have you ever… been with Hope?” she asked bashfully, and I snorted, rolling out from under the car and standing up in amusement. 

“Are you jealous, Josette?” I laughed, and she shrugged. 

“What if I am? Are you gonna answer me or not?” 

I’ve always loved her shamelessness. 

“No.” I answered, “I’ve never seen her like that, she’s like a sister to me.” I assured, and I watched her body visibly relax. “My turn.” I smirked, making her raise a brow at me. 

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“You asked me a question, now I want to ask one.” I shrugged, “Why didn’t you want Lizzie to know about us?” I queried, watching her jaw fell momentarily. “I mean, she can’t be like, a homophobe,” I chuckled, “those went extinct decades ago.” I assured, and she sighed. 

“No, I know. She…” She hesitated, running her fingers through her hair. “We were talking about you a few days before the ball, when you were helping me with floral arrangements and she ran into us. She immediately started talking about how cute you were,” she blushed, “she seemed so ready to try and be with you, and I don’t know how to approach something like that.” She chuckled sadly. 

“I mean,” I scoffed, closing the hood to the car so I could lean against it safely, “of course she’s attracted to me, but why wouldn’t you tell her? It’s so much more fair to her to hear you’re already with the girl she’s interested in before she convinces herself she has a chance.” I assured, watching as her eyes moved up from her fingers, to baring into mine. 

“She doesn’t have a chance?” She asked, making me scoff. 

“Of course she doesn’t.” I laughed, my hands on my hips as I stepped closer to her, making her step back timidly. I smiled softly at her, adoration passing through my heart as I watched the way I still so strongly affected her. “Jojo,” I muttered, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked on at me, flustered, “against you, nobody stands a chance.” I promised, “I’m in love with you.” I admitted, and she stepped back, her eyes faltering as her breath grew raggedly. 

“No, y-you can’t do that,” she stammered, “y-you can’t just… lie to me for months, and then call me Jojo and hope it’s all better this time, because it isn’t any better, Penny.” She gulped. 

I smirked. 

“You’d never call me Penny if you were actually angry.” I hummed, sauntering back toward her, and I watched her eyes flash with something rare. Something I didn’t see enough to pinpoint just yet. 

“I should be angry.” She complained, and I nodded. 

“You have every right to be.” I ensured, and she groaned. 

“Stop agreeing with me!” She yelled, gripping her hair on the sides of her head in anger. 

“I’m sorry?” I chuckled in confusion. 

“You’re not making it easy for me to be mad at you.” She whimpered, and my eyes snapped up at her, noting the tears suddenly falling from her eyes. 

“Hey, hey, hey,” I muttered, my heart aching at the sight of seeing her so unhappy. I moved close to her, taking her hands in mine, “it’s okay.” I whispered, pulling her against me closely. She laid her head in the crook of my neck, her arms around my waist as she cried against my skin softly. 

“Everything is so overwhelming,” she cried, and I hummed, running my fingers through her hair to calm her down. “You, Lizzie, Klaus, all of it.” She cried, “And I don’t have my usual way of calming down, or even my own underwear. What do I have?” She sniffled. 

“You have me, Jojo.” I promised, pulling away and taking her face in my hands gently, looking at her closely. “I know it’s a lot, but I promise you that I’m not going to let anything happen to the two of you.” I swore solemnly, and I felt her body relax against me. She took the edges of my flannel and pulled them close to her, leaning down to kiss me. 

God, this is all I wanted. I wanted her against me, to feel her lips against mine again, to smell her vanilla scent, to feel the warmth against my skin. 

Her lips moved against mine, her fingers lacing in the short locks on my hair as she delved closer to me, exhaling as her nose pressed against my cheek in an attempt to explore my mouth deeper with her tongue. She pulled away, her chest heaving as she looked at me, caressing my face for a moment before stepping back and crossing her hands in front of her. 

“I-I’m sorry.” She chuckled bashfully, and I shook my head, stepping closer to her and holding her hands in mine again. 

“Don’t ever apologize.” I whispered, noting the way her breath hitched in her lungs. “As for the calming down,” I grinned softly, “I have just the thing.”


	4. III

“I thought you didn’t read.” Josie hummed with intrigue as she looked around my small room, which was covered from wall to wall, floor to ceiling with bookshelves, packed with books. On the far wall was my twin bed nestled there perfectly, a pillow and two soft blankets laying there, beneath a book I was reading this morning after I woke up way too early again. 

I haven’t been sleeping well since Josie has been in real danger. 

“I didn’t.” I assured truthfully, sitting down in the middle of the bed, patting the place beside me for her to sit down. “I started collecting when we started getting closer.” I divulged, and she rose a brow at me. 

“Why?”

“I guess your impact is larger than you thought.” I admitted, making her raise a brow. 

(Flashback)

“Morning, your majesty.” I shouted as I stepped through the east doors of the west wing of the library, running to the ladder to climb up, my back full of snacks for the two of us. 

“Stop calling me that,” she chuckled from her lounge floor, the second floor, where she sat, curled up in a large, soft brown blanket, a book in her hand. “You’re my friend, not my subject.” She reminded while I dropped my backpack onto the lounger and opened it to pull out some juice boxes and cheese-it’s. “Juice boxes, really?” She giggled, and I shrugged. 

“They’re convenient.” I excused. 

“What are you, four?”She snorted, and I shrugged, yet again, before opening the plastic and poking the straw through the box, taking a long sip. 

“Maybe so.” 

“You’ve passed age four six times over now, Penelope.” She giggled, pushing my shoulder playfully. 

“Being surrounded by mountains of books, filled with that giddy feeling really makes me feel like a kid again.” I admitted, though internally noting that it felt like the first time I was ever a kid, because I never got that kind of luxury. 

“Giddy? You don’t even read the books, all you do is dust and move books around with me all day.” She giggled, holding the blanket out to wrap around my shoulders so I could be warm in the embrace of the brown fur as well. 

“Yeah, but…” I shrugged as before taking another sip, “I get to be with you.” I smiled, my heart wrenching against my ribcage as I contemplated whether it was a good idea to shoot my shot. 

“You make me feel giddy too, Penny.” She smiled bashfully, her fingers brushing mine as she took the juice box from me to take a sip of her own. Her lips twitched around the straw, eyes never leaving mine, not even when she moved to set the empty box on the floor beside the lounger we were sitting on. Not when her fingers toyed with the hem of the blanket, dangerously close to my hand, not when I noticed her eyes falling to my lips.

Not when I saw her lean in ever so slightly. 

“Uh,” I cleared my throat with a chuckle before picking up the book from her other hand, “what’s this book?” I inquired, taking a look at the cover that read, “Dead Eye.”

“It’s about a woman whose family is killed by the richest man in the city, so she becomes an assassin who kills rich people in the city who are doing wrong with a bow and arrow, all while trying to win the heart and ease the suspicions of her love interest, who is a detective on the case of catching the masked assassin.” She divulged. 

“Sounds… like a lot.” I chuckled, causing her to shrug. 

“It’s extravagant, but I love the lengths she goes through to for her family, and how easy it is for her to lose her sanity, only for it to have been there all along, in the hands and the heart of her love interest.”

“Why do all of these insane things happen in books? Why can’t it just be two people falling in love in the most wholesome way?” I asked with a chuckle, and Josie shrugged with a small smile. 

“Would you really want to read about all the awkward ups and downs of somebody falling in love, rather than reading about the passion, love, and action of a story like this one?” Josie inquired, “It’s much sexier and racy than awkward tooth bumping and depression that comes with being rejected.” 

“Is that your experience?” I chuckled, to which she shrugged. 

“I mean, everyone’s always chosen Lizzie over me, so yeah.” She chuckled, making me raise a brow. 

“I don’t understand that.” I piped up, and she shrugged. 

“Of course you can’t sympathize with me,” she shook her head bashfully, closing the book and setting it in her lap, “you’re a goddess.” She muttered. 

“No,” I laughed, “I understand what it’s like to be passed up for someone else,” of course I did, I was in foster homes for years, watching people choose the other, smaller kids over me, “I don’t understand how someone could choose her over you.” I admitted, meeting her eyes again, where I noted her flushing cheeks. 

“Well, someone has to be the ugly twin.” she mumbled, making me click my teeth in distaste for her words. 

“I guess it’s a good thing that’s not you then, huh?” I smiled, watching her eyes go soft as she leaned close to me, her breath close to mine. 

“You know, I’ve never been a big fan of romance,” I spoke up through a slightly shaky voice, and I watched as her face faltered again. “It all just feels so cheesy.” I chuckled. 

“You’ve never been in love before, have you?” Josie giggled, and I shrugged. 

“I’ve never gotten close enough to anyone for that.” I admitted, and she chuckled. 

“That cheesy feeling is the feeling that comes about when you love someone.” She divulged, “you’ll feel it eventually.” She assured, to which I chuckled with the shake of my head. 

“I don’t think anyone will be falling in love with me anytime soon.” 

“Why?” Josie inquired with the shake of her head, as though my words were worth dismissing, “You’re kind, and sweet, and funny, and stunning, I-”

“You sound like you’re trying to sell me to myself.” I jested, and she shook her head again. 

“No, I-I…” she trailed off, her eyes dropping to my lips for the third time today. 

It’s something that happened a lot in the last three weeks. I couldn’t get my feelings involved though, because that would complicate so much. 

“I’m just pointing out that I couldn’t see how someone could avoid falling in love with someone like you.” She licked her lips, her teeth raking over her bottom lip for a moment as she leaned in, my heart pounding in my ears. 

“I’m not the kind of person someone should fall for.” I admitted. 

“Don’t try me with that, ‘I’m weird, I’m a weirdo,’ speech, please.” She rolled her eyes, an action that forced a chuckle from my chest. 

“No, no…” I chuckled, “I’m just hard to love. I’ve never been loved, you know? Not really.” I admitted. 

“No,” she shook her head, “you just need someone to see beyond that.” she muttered, and before I knew it, I felt her lips ghost over mine. 

Everything in me conflicted in that moment. 

My head told me not to, moaning and groaning and crying at me, poking and prodding at my being, begging me to abort my mission. My heart pounded in my ears, each beat sending me forward, craving her touch, itching to feel her lips. My spine tingled at the feeling of her breath against my lips, and my eyes remained wide, my mind obviously not allowing them to close. 

My fingers twitched in my lap, and I watched her eyes fall to my hand before hers covered it, holding mine and pulling it up against her lips, her eyes sticking back to mine as the skin beneath her lips’ embrace buzzed in an intoxicating way. 

“H-have you ever been in love before?” I inquired, and she nodded slowly, sensually. “What’s their name?” 

“Imani.” She mumbled, sighing as she pulled back dejectedly. 

“What happened?” I asked, not necessarily interested, but more so interested in straying her lips from my skin. 

“She was amazing.” She sighed, a sad smile on her lips. “She was the best girlfriend anyone could ask for, and I’ve never been more in love with anyone in my life. She died,” she exhaled hesitantly, “three years ago. We were really good friends, her mom was my father’s publicist, and she used to come to the mansion everyday for three years, from the beginning of our relationship, until the day I found out her mom had gotten into a fight with a semi truck.” 

I spotted a tear falling down her cheek, and felt my throat dry up. 

“How long ago was that?” I inquired. 

“Two and a half years ago.” She exhaled shakily, and I frowned, pulling her into me so I could hug her closely, noting the warmth I felt, despite the terrible words she uttered. 

“I’m sorry to hear that, Jojo.” I whispered, and she cleared her throat before pulling away. 

“We should get to work on the reference section.” She said, suddenly ready to work. We did so in silence for what felt like an eternity, but must’ve been just an hour, before I started to rush through the front walkway with a stack of books, unknowingly stumbling toward Josie, who was striding heftily toward her destination before I interrupting her. We both fell to the ground, our books both falling everywhere around us. 

She laughed for the first time in an hour as she looked up at me as I looked down at her bashfully. 

“I’m sorry.” I laughed, and she didn’t say anything. 

There went her eyes again, dropping to my lips for the fourth time today. 

She lifted herself up with her elbows and, yet again, her breath was melding with mine. 

“We shouldn’t.” I suggested, pulling away with great hesitance. 

“Do you just not want this from me?” She asked insecurely. 

“I’m sorry, Josie.” I shook my head, and she rose a brow at me as I pulled myself off of her, taking her hand to help her up from among the pile of discarded books. 

“Are you okay?” She giggled as though the last six seconds didn’t happen, moving my chin from side to side in order to be sure I was okay.

“I could ask you the same thing.” I hummed. 

“Yeah,” she blinked, licking her lips briefly, before her demeanor changed and she rolled her eyes at me. “Quit doing that.” 

I rose a brow, “Doing what?” 

“Stop looking at my lips!” She garbled, and I rose a brow. 

“What?” I laughed. 

“It’s a whole thing, where you like at my lips, and then I look at yours, and then you look at mine again, and then I lean in to kiss you, and then you pull away,or start talking, and it makes me feel very confused!” She stopped with a blush when she realized she was rambling, but she didn’t realize that I loved it when she rambled. Usually, I’d hate it, but it suited her, and from her, I could listen to it all day. 

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled in realization, “I didn’t realize I was doing it.” I admitted. 

“Well, take note of it, because it hurts every time you give me signals as though you want to kiss me, and then push me away.” 

“I’m just very observant,” I lied subtly, “I notice when you bite or lick your lip.” I hummed, and she rose a brow before stepping closer. 

“I don’t think that’s it.” She chuckled with the shake of her head, a dangerous grin on her lips. “I think you want to kiss me, but you don’t want feelings to complicate things.” She smirked, likely upon seeing my lips quiver, or my eyes twitch upon her being so clever as to figure out just how I feel. “Guess what?” She whispered, taking my hand and holding ours between us. “I don’t care, and you shouldn’t either, because feelings are beautiful. You’ll see that, but I need you to trust me.” 

It was silent for a moment before she spoke up again. 

“How about this;” She muttered, taking both of my hands in hers and looking me so deeply in the eyes that I felt chills roll up my spine. “Just look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t want to kiss me, and I’ll leave you alone. We’ll work on the library, and that’s it.” She promised. 

“I don’t want to kiss you.” I mumbled, and it could’ve been the crack in my voice, or the flare of my left nostril, or even the way I blinked as I said it, but she just smirked at me. 

“I don’t believe you.” She countered. 

“You never said I had to tell the truth.” I gritted. 

“At least make it believable.” 

I braced myself and cleared my throat. 

“I don’t want to kiss you.” 

“Are you sure?” Her lips were on mine, and my body itched to move those two centimeters toward her embrace. 

“No.” I admitted, and I watched her smirk turn into a genuine smile. 

“Do you want me to kiss you?” She repeated, and my heart stuttered in my chest. 

“More than anything.” I breathed, and her eyes softened before she grabbed my face, licking my bottom lip, begging for entrance before our lips even touched. I felt the lump in my throat falter, and my heavy heart become airy and light. 

Everything and nothing was happening to my body all at once in the way her tongue danced with mine, my brain igniting in a spur of electricity that kept me from being able think of anything but the sensation of Josie Saltzman. 

Her fingers on my jaw, her lips against mine, her warm, vanilla scent, the sound of her deep exhales against mine, the taste of her tongue on mine, the knowledge that if I opened my eyes, I’d be stunned all over again. 

All those cheesy thoughts she said I’d have when I really liked someone. 

(end of flashback)

“Dead Eye?” Josie hummed as she pulled the book off the shelf from spotting the spine, flipping it open and skimming the pages, and I shrugged. 

“I read it after that day.” I admitted, “It really is amazing.” I chuckled, scratching the back of my head, and she hummed, leaning back against the bookshelf behind her, sliding a pillow between her back and the shelf as she started it from the beginning. “I’ll leave you alone.” I smiled softly, leaning over to kiss her forehead before walking out of the room, closing the door and walking to the main hall of the garage.

… 

“Pen, we’re home!” Called Hope from the front entrance of the shop, bags in her hands as she walked in front of Lizzie, who was holding a similar amount of bags. 

“Finally, I was bored.” I lied, and Hope rolled her eyes. 

“Where’s Josie?” Lizzie asked in a slight panic from the doorway of the room they’d been sleeping in the last few days. 

“She’s reading in my room.” I assured, and Lizzie rose a brow. 

“Why would she be in your room?” 

“I have a bunch of books in there, so I let her sit in there and choose what she wanted.” I lied, and Lizzie hummed. “Down the hall, third door on the left.” I offered, and she nodded before setting the bags on the ground and walking back. 

“So, the good news is that I found out Lizzie likes girls.” I grinned quietly to Hope, who’s eyes widened. 

“How did you figure that out?” 

“Josie said she had dibs on me.” I said through gritted teeth, and Hope rolled her eyes. 

“Of course she did.”

“What the hell does that mean?” I scoffed, and she shrugged. 

“You’re much more attractive than me, you always have been.” She chuckled, making me roll my eyes. 

“Shut up, Mikaelson.” I laughed. 

“It’s true! You’ve always been-” 

“Shhh…” I hushed upon hearing something outside of the garage. I slowly stepped toward the big garage door, listening and hearing the sound of footsteps outside. I ran to the bags, dropping them in the back of my truck, Nico, and taking Hope’s hand to drag her into the back hall, to my room. 

“Hey, I-” 

“Shhh…” Both Hope and I hushed Lizzie at the same time, and I reached between Josie’s open knees, under the mattress of my bed to grab my handgun. Josie’s eyes widened, and she moved away from me quickly in fear. “Someone’s outside.” I whispered, and I watched fear flash across the twins’ eyes. “We’re going to run to the black truck in the garage.” I assured, and the two nodded before getting up and running out of the room. “Hope, you’ll drive.” I demanded, grabbing the blankets and pillow from my bed, tossing them to her so she could run with them. I stuck the gun in my pants behind me before taking the book from the bed, and one specific book from the shelf. I ran out of the room and through the garage, throwing the books in the back of the truck before moving to pull the chain that opens the garage door. 

Hope turned on the truck as the twins got in and ducked, as per Hope’s instruction. 

I opened it enough for the truck to slip past the doors and let go of the chain, allowing the doors to fall closed before running to jump in the back of the truck. Hope stepped on the gas once I was in the back, and I heard a gunshot go off. I looked around, noting the man hiding around the corner of the garage, shooting off shots at me. I ducked behind the tailgate and pulled the trigger once, making the man drop to the ground as we retreated. 

I looked through the back window of the truck and noted Josie’s wide eyes looking at me in fear.


End file.
